Finish

Gil arrived at Fort Kent at 11:16 A.M. He is going to a restaurant to eat.

June 26th

This will probably be my last entry until Gil gets home and tells me everything he has jotted down. I don't think anything will beat the bear story. Gil told me to tell Kate I married an old truckdriver and when he smells home he puts the hammer down. lol He's been paddling from 4:30 AM till dark. Good luck to Mike, Bob and Sandy. I cannot believe anyone could make it at the speed Mike has. Good job, Mike.

June 26th

I tried to leave a message on Mike's board but due to old age lol I can't figure out how to do it. I want to thank his crew for their kind words and wishes of good luck. Gil did not know Mike was behind him until he called me from Jackman. I am so happy this trip is almost over. Hopefully any other bucket list items he comes up with will be easier on both of us. lol

June 26th

Hallelujah, it's almost over. The phone rang and it was Gil at a restaurant in Alligash. He has done the Alligash to this point in 3 days. He says he has paddled about 30 miles a day. Thank God his heart didn't give out. Guess he's 40 miles from Fort Kent. I really don't care I just want him home.

June 24th

As I left Gil in Stratton he started across Flagstaff Lake. He could see something breaking water up ahead and thought it might be a beaver or such. As he got closer he could see that it was bigger than a beaver and thought it might be a moose head that he was looking at. He got within 10 feet and got the surprise of his life. It was a huge black bear just cruising along. It had not spotted him until he called, Thomas, it's a bear . The bear came out of the water with his front paws and turned his head to look at Gil, at which point he really took off and swam toward the shore. Unfortunately, Gils camera which I had just given him, was under the sprayskirt and he couldn't get it in time to get a picture. Gil has met a lot of wonderful people as he's stopped here and there, but the bear was something he didn't expect to see so close up.

June 23

Gil says I probably will not be hearing from him again until he reaches Allagash Village. The hardest part has definitely been between Stratton and Jackman. He says after Jackman has been a cakewalk compared to Spencer Stream. He's curious to see how Mike likes that section. He thinks he has lost more weight. I wish the weather would clear up and he was home. Not much longer!!!!!

June 20th

Gil just called on a payphone. He had just enough change to talk 1 minute. He's in Jackman and the worst is behind him. The weather has been horrible. The operator cut him off and he had no more change. Has not been able to get a cell signal. He is going to try to call me tomorrow. It's been almost a week since I've talked to him. I'll be glad when he's home. I miss him.

June 12th

After checking in at the Stratton Motel, we went across the street to eat. Just as we sat down, a young fellow was telling everyone that he was on a canoe trip. I asked if it might be the Northern Forest Canoe Trip and it was. He left Old Forge May 5th and was told there was another paddler ahead of him. He couldn't believe he was meeting him. His name is Charlie Pearce. He will be leaving at Jackman to go to New Hampshire for a wedding. He was telling Gil about his airmattress and asking what kind of equipment Gil was using. Gil told him he sleeps on the ground. Gil had a great time talking to him. They spoke about the Clyde River being high but Chris Gill had already sent that message to me to give Gil. A couple nights rest and he'll be gone again.

June 12th

Thomas drove me to Rangely and as we drove down to Stratton we started looking for Gil. He beat us to Stratton. The Dr. said he has an inner ear infection and gave him a prescription. She said he is in good shape but told him to go back on his meds. He weighs 190 pounds which makes a loss of 27 pounds. He weighed 217 when he started. He said the trip was harder than he thought it would be but he looks and feels good. We are going to spend Friday and Sat. night here to do his laundry and give him a rest. I will be heading back home Sunday AM. Gil has a lot of stories about his trip that he hasn't told me because he doesn't want to use his minutes on the phone. When he gets home we will be doing a wrapup of the entire trip, i.e. he capsized more than once and saw many animals.

July 11th

Found a motel in Stratton that was reasonable so took a room Friday and Saturday nights. Figured that would give Gil a chance to have a hot shower, watch tv. Yes, Frank & Diana a motel room!!!!!!!!When he heads out again Sunday its supposed to be a fairly good week. Right now he is camping in the Congregational Church Yard in Rangely. They told him he could set up his tent and they have a meal at lunch time for $4.00. He ate today and said it was the best chicken he had ever eaten. That's what happens when you eat mostly freeze dried meals for 5 weeks. lol
Will be back Sunday.

This came in my email this morning. Gil tells me he has lost about 4 inches off his waist and seeing is believing. He also tells me that he has gone off all his medication except the blood thinner. He thinks that since he's lost weight his blood pressure and heartbeat may be too slow. Oh well, I'm glad he sees the Dr. in Rangely tomorrow. Last night he said he was about 6 miles out of Rangely.

June 9th

Gil is not feeling well at all. He mentioned the other day he was having dizzy spells and a headache. Today said they were worse and he wished they would go away. I called the Rangely Chamber of Commerce and they gave me the number for a clinic there. I have an appt. for him there on Friday.

June 8th

Yea!!!!!!!!! He's in Maine. He says that someones sense of measure was way off. He was thinking that Maine was right around the corner but took way longer than he thought. He bought food in Errol NH so is feeling much better. He has been on the Androscogin River and Umbagog Lake. Bought some hamburg at Saco Whitewater Outfitters and they invited him to eat with them so he had spaghetti/meatballs. He is hoping to get a cell signal in Rangely and will call from there. He is anxious for Thomas to join him and get on the water again. I think he's
anxious to get home. I was going to surprise him in Rangely and tried to press him on when he thought he'd be there to no avail. Thomas will be out of school Friday noon, so either way I'll see him soon.

May 31st

1. Gil is on the Vermont, New Hampshire line. He is getting sick of rain but will probably be in Grotton NH in 2 days. He was on a pay phone due to no cell towers. Hopes there will be one in Grotton. He is out of food so will be looking forward to shopping in Grotton, didn't take long to spend the money I sent when he has no way to refrigerate. I am thinking of surprising him after he gets into Maine , probably around Rangely. The other alternative is to have our friend Dennis, who lives in Portland, pick him up and get him healthy again before he finishes the trip with Thomas. I don't know if he'll want to do that but we'll see.

May 27th

Gil called from a store in East Charleston Vt. He went into Quebec and back down. Was much easier than he expected. Just like a kid calling from camp, he wants me to send money. lol It is pouring there and they are expecting flooding. He is camped under the deck of a restaurant. They told him to stay as long as he needed. When the rain stops and the river goes a little back to normal, it will only take him a few days to enter New Hampshire. I'm not going to okay any other trips like this, that's for sure, so I'm glad he's getting it out of his system. There are no cell towers so I probably won't hear any more for a few days.

May 23rd

Gil called this evening from Richford Vt. He may not call for another few days as he is crossing the border into Quebec. He has been paddling against the current since he came off Lake Champagne and will be until he hits the Quebec immigration checkpoint. He feels fine and all is well.

Northern Forest Canoe Trail

This is the trail that Gil is following. It starts in Old Forge, New York.

http://northernforestcanoetrail.org

Hog Island

Heard from Gil at 8:30 tonight. He crossed the Lake and entered the Missisquoi River around 10:00 AM this morning. To get there he had to go up and around Hog Island and then drop back down to get in the river. There was about a mile portage before he hit the river. He has a flat tire on his portage wheels so will need to get that fixed in one of the towns he goes through. I also got an email from a gentleman named Norm who talked to Gil last night at the campground on North Hero Island. He tells me that Gil looks good and is still excited about his adventure and is looking forward to Thomas doing the last leg in Maine with him. So guess he is feeling better and is looking forward to the whole trip. Thanks, Norm.

Blogging

I am new to this blogging so hope you stay with me. I am getting so many calls as to where Gil is I thought this would be the best way to go. Thanks, Kathy

May 19th : Gil is just hanging out waiting for the Lake to settle down. It has been real choppy and I don't think he cares to capsize again. It's about 1 and 1/2 miles to the Vermont shore. He thinks maybe he'll have to do it first thing in the morning or later at night. He sounds good and says he believes he has traveled over a hundred miles . I believe it may be more than that.

North Hero

May 18th : When Gil called today he has made progress and is camping on North Hero. He has met a nice couple who invited him to eat with them and he said real food tasted some good He found a store and bought some eggs, thinking of future breakfasts.

Lake Champlain

May 17th: Gil has crossed to what he is calling Big Island on the Lake. On my map it is called North Hero and South Hero. He says it is about 20 to 25 miles long. The sun is out and he sounds much better.

Plattsburgh

May 14: Gil is in Plattsburgh. He found a hospital and had his blood drawn and is resting up. This is the first time I have heard him discouraged. He doesn't think he is getting enough calories out of the freeze dried food as he feels weak and maybe dehydrated. His body is all black and blue from being banged against the rocks when he capsized. He is thinking that maybe he'll give it one more week and see how he feels then.

May 13th: Been a few days since I've heard from Gil. Evidently no cell phone coverage.
I believe he should be in the Saranac River heading into Plattsburgh. 3:30 PM the phone rings and the caller ID shows a number I don't know. I answer and its Gil. He says that he capsized on the river. What sould have been Class 1 & 2 rapids were about a 4 due to all the rain. He lost a bit of his gear (his paddles) and the owner of the phone was going to take him to get new ones. He just wanted me to know that he was ok, and hung up. Now I can't pass this one up (He is the first person I know who has literally been up the creek without a ...........!!!

We arrived in Old Forge, NY on April 30, 2009 for Gil to start the trip of a lifetime (to Gil). It rained all night and the wind was blowing hard.

May 1st: We hunted for a restaurant which was open so that Gil could have a good breakfast before he left. Still raining and the wind blowing.

When we got to the boat ramp, I suggested that we might stay another night and wait for better weather. Gil said no and proceeded to load the kayak. As you can see in the picture, he was loaded. I said that he looked like the old time "tinkers" I believe they were called who took a wagon around with pots and pans hanging to sell to the settlers of yore.

May 6th : I have not heard from Gil at all and am a little worried. I bought him a Trac phone to take on the trip and have to try and remember that towers are few and far between.

While doing bills online I see a sign that Gil is alive and spending money. There is a charge on our on line banking that he spent money at the Long Lake Post Office. I'm thinking maybe he sent me something for our anniversary tomorrow.

May 7th : I call the Springfield post office to see if I have mail from New York. Our postmistress said that I had a package from Gil. I rushed to get it, opened it and found our camcorder inside, no note that said I'm alive, hello, or anything. I think he was afraid it would get wet.

May 9th : My first call and Gil says its been raining since he left. Everything he took is wet except his sleeping bag. Even the dry bags he took ripped after getting wet and hindsight told him he should have bought another kind.

May 10th: Another call, he spent today in his sleeping bag. It is raining so hard you can't see in front of you.